Partnership helps book fair to continue telling Kentucky’s story

The Kentucky Humanities Council continues “Telling Kentucky’s Story” in a new partnership with the Kentucky Book Fair. The 35th edition of the annual event is Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Frankfort Convention Center. Admission is free; the hours are from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

This will also be the sixth year for Kid’s Day on Friday, Nov. 5 that focuses on a structured program of reading and writing for elementary-, middle- and high-school students. Students from 23 schools are preregistered and will attend between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Kentucky Humanities Council’s mission is sharing the stories of our communities, our counties, our regions, and our unique Kentucky culture and heritage.

The Kentucky Book Fair, operated by a nonprofit board of volunteers for 34 years, produces the state’s premier literary event. Its mission is to honor the profession of writing in the form of a one-day celebration and to provide a venue for authors to meet their reading public.

During this year of transition, the fair will remember past successes under the leadership of the late Carl West, editor emeritus of the Frankfort State Journal and founder of the book fair who passed away on Feb. 28. A display will feature photos, awards and mementos from West’s life in journalism and his dedication to the book fair.

Ellen Hellard, president of the book fair, notes, “We are very pleased with this merger, which provides continuity of an event so identified with Carl. It is a fitting memorial to him and his vision for readers and writers.”

In celebration of the 35th year, a grant from the Pulitzer Foundation is funding special Pulitzer centennial events, featuring Kentucky Pulitzer Prize winners Joel Pett (editorial cartoons in 2000) at 2 p.m., and Maria Henson (editorial writing in 1992) at 10 a.m.

A key Friday audience will be 320 high-school students. They will be involved in a “master class” with Henson who anticipates cultivating “… the skill of being able to discern what is verified journalism in a time of information overload as critical to a citizen’s ability to navigate civic life and nurture democracy.”

Kentucky Humanities Council’s Interim Executive Director Kathleen Pool says, “We are very excited to be managing the Kentucky Book Fair for the first time this year. We have been making plans all year and are very excited about the select group of authors attending the KBF on Friday and Saturday. The fair will look a little different this year with the addition of a main stage in the arena with programs occurring on the main stage and in the North Hall all day on Saturday.”

There will also be about 500 younger children attending lectures, meeting authors and getting the opportunity to purchase books from the 32 participating writers, including Debbie Dadey, Amanda Driscoll and Heather Henson. Most students are traveling to the Capitol on funds provided to schools by the Kentucky Humanities Council, The National Endowment for the Humanities and local donors like Graviss McDonald’s Restaurants of Versailles.

Running concurrently on Friday is a sold-out luncheon for adults with New York Times best-selling author Mary Alice Monroe discussing her Lowcountry Summer series. Participants will receive a copy of her latest novel, “Lowcountry Christmas” and hear her discuss the art of writing and her creative process. Monroe will also be signing books at the fair on Saturday.

Headliners for Saturday include Kentuckians Wendell Berry, Frank X Walker and Crystal Wilkinson. Perennial favorites like James Archambeault, Ann B. Ross, Sharon McCrumb and Lynwood Montel are also attending.

Former U.S. Congressman Barney Frank shares stories from his personal life and political career in his new biography, “Frank.” J.D. Vance discusses “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.”

Almost 180 authors are slated to attend and there will be free lectures throughout the day. Early risers can join us for “My morning coffee and newspaper” on the Convention Center Plaza. From 8 to a.m. Fairgoers will receive one free cup of coffee, provided by Nate’s Coffee and copies of the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Go-Go Burgers, Nate’s Coffee and the Celtic Pig food trucks will also be located near the entrance from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

For further information, check out the Kentucky Book Fair website at: https://www.kyhumanities.org/kentuckybookfair.html.

This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Partnership helps book fair to continue telling Kentucky’s story."